vinylester or polyester

[stubate]

which is the resin that should be used in hulls to safeguard against osmosis please?
also i need to grind out minor damage to the gel coat on part of the topsides (maybe 1 square inch) what should i use to fill and blend in? i am used to using plastic padding etc on cars but i think this is porous? is there a special product? or can i use a bog std car repair resin with talc or such like as the filler?
thanks in anticipation
stu

 

[vyv_cox]

Most boats in modern construction seem to use an isophthalic polyester gelcoat that has much lower water absorption properties than the older orthophthalic type. Vinyl ester is an epoxy acrylate that has even lower water absorption and little shrinkage, similar to epoxy.

Epoxy filler material is available from chandlers for repairs below the surface. There are marine equivalents to automotive filler coloured for topsides, Plastic Padding used to make one but I may not be up to date. Automotive filler may be on the absorbent side even for topsides, although if you are topping off with gelcoat it may not matter a great deal.

 

[lauradee]

need gelcoat?

thanks for info, its starting to make sense, i suspect that plastic padding will do for the bulk fill and then i need some gelcoat to finish off repairs, but how do we define gelcoat, is it epoxy resin as in slap it on glass mat with some colour in it? and where does one obtain a small quantity?
i see international do a product called gelshield but it is in 1.44 litre tins at £59 !! is that what we are after?
stu

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: need gelcoat?

Gelshield is International's epoxy gelcoat substitute for application after existing polyester gelcoat has been peeled or blasted off. Gelcoat as normally used for GRP production is polyester resin plus some microballons or silica for thickening. Suggest you pay a visit to Dickie's of Bangor, they always used to stock small quantities of layup resin and gelcoat. However, what you may prefer is that Plastic Padding market coloured gelcoat patch-up kits in two tubes. Dickie's always sold this when I used them. See <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.western-marine.com/page76.htm>http://www.western-marine.com/page76.htm</A> as an example of all of these.

Vyv

 

[lauradee]

thanks for help

plastic padding seems way to go, sizes and prices right
stu

 

[gjgm]

looking at similar problem. Try CFS 01209 821028. Someone in technical dept called Nathan was extremely helpful, told me just what I needed and sent loads of bumph too. I had the gelcoat, but all the other bits he says I need came to about
14 quid. Even told me not to bother ordering stuff I might not need. I ll send it to you next time if you need it, he said ! Excellent service.